A properly designed spring (such as the recoil buffer spring) shouldn't have any problems being compressed within its design limits.
Personally, I always store my firearms with the actions open for the sake of safety.

Worthwhile to note, however, that you probably SHOULD NOT store it with the bolt locked back and a loaded magazine in the well. Even light to moderate impact of the butt can cause the bolt to slam forward, chambering a round, and, (unlikely) slam firing.

Originally posted by Terrato:
Personally, I always store my firearms with the actions open for the sake of safety.

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Inadvertently pressing the bolt release will allow it to slam forward and chamber a round (if a loaded magazine is in place), or maybe bite your finger if its somehow in the ejection port (with the cover open.
It also keeps the buffer and hammer springs in a state of compression (most likely not harmful).
I'm not sure what is accomplished in terms of safety versus storage without the magazine with a dropped hammer, besides the ability to engage the safety?

You're NOT just a number! You're an INDIVIDUAL with thoughts and feelings...who no one has ever heard of and couldn't care less about.

Thanks for your help, guys. I was thinking about leaving my bedside gun stored with the action open, safety on, loaded magazine in the gun. That way all I'd have to do if something went bump is tap the bolt release and flip the safety. Good point about the hit on the butt causing it to release the bolt. I might just leave a loaded magazine in the gun, safety on, but bolt and hammer down. What's the preferred way to store the gun for that kind of use?

You can't engage the safety with the hammer down.
With a loaded magazine inserted it's better to have hammer down, safety off than cocked, safety on since charging handle will have to be operated anyway, but that's more likely than not just a matter of personal choice rather than anything significantly tactically superior.

You're NOT just a number! You're an INDIVIDUAL with thoughts and feelings...who no one has ever heard of and couldn't care less about.

One option is to leave the bolt down and slap in a mag. Gives you the option of allowing the bad guy to hear the bolt which is deterent or you can be quiet by pulling back slow and forward slow followed by a palm strike to the forward assit.
At least that was the way, we were trained in basic. The field was a bit different story.

Originally posted by Terrato:
Personally, I always store my firearms with the actions open for the sake of safety.

View Quote

Inadvertently pressing the bolt release will allow it to slam forward and chamber a round (if a loaded magazine is in place), or maybe bite your finger if its somehow in the ejection port (with the cover open.
It also keeps the buffer and hammer springs in a state of compression (most likely not harmful).
I'm not sure what is accomplished in terms of safety versus storage without the magazine with a dropped hammer, besides the ability to engage the safety?

View Quote

My rifles that are in [i]storage[/i] have the actions locked open and no ammunition anywhere near them. My rifle that is [i]ready to use[/i] has the bolt closed over a loaded magazine.
Locking the action open allows anyone who knows basic firearm safety, regardless of their expertise at manipulating a particular type of action, to check to see that the chamber is empty.

Originally posted by Terrato:
Personally, I always store my firearms with the actions open for the sake of safety.

View Quote

Inadvertently pressing the bolt release will allow it to slam forward and chamber a round (if a loaded magazine is in place), or maybe bite your finger if its somehow in the ejection port (with the cover open.
It also keeps the buffer and hammer springs in a state of compression (most likely not harmful).
I'm not sure what is accomplished in terms of safety versus storage without the magazine with a dropped hammer, besides the ability to engage the safety?

View Quote

My rifles that are in [i]storage[/i] have the actions locked open and no ammunition anywhere near them. My rifle that is [i]ready to use[/i] has the bolt closed over a loaded magazine.
Locking the action open allows anyone who knows basic firearm safety, regardless of their expertise at manipulating a particular type of action, to check to see that the chamber is empty.

View Quote

Being very safety-conscious myself, my rifles that are in storage are inaccessible to anyone but me since they reside, hammer down, in a safe.

You're NOT just a number! You're an INDIVIDUAL with thoughts and feelings...who no one has ever heard of and couldn't care less about.

I would do it this way: Clear gun. Check again. Pull trigger to drop hammer. Leave bolt closed. Insert loaded mag. (Smack it good--full ones go in hard if the bolt's closed.)
When you pick it up and try to verify that the safety's on and it won't go, you know the chamber's empty. After charging it, flip the safety on.